PORT TOWNSEND — Increased rates of respiratory illnesses are affecting residents in Clallam and Jefferson counties.
“After a brief reduction in cases, we’ve started to see an upturn in influenza activity in our region and in the state as a whole,” said Dr. Allison Berry, the public health officer for both counties, in her monthly KPTZ radio update.
Still on the rise, flu cases have not been as high in Clallam County as they have been in Jefferson County, Berry wrote in an email.
At the national level, flu cases are more severe this season. That is largely due to the type of flu in circulation — H3N2. The strain tends to be more severe than H1N1, Berry said.
“We also have seen a shift in the virus itself,” she said. “It’s mutated somewhat since last year.”
That means any immunity people may have developed is not giving the same level of protection and that the vaccine is not a perfect match, Berry said.
Still, the vaccine does show good effects in preventing the worst outcomes, like hospitalizations, emergency room visits or death, she said.
Berry attributed lesser effects of the flu in Jefferson County to vaccination rates. Fifteen percent of the nation has received a flu shot this season, she said, and 40 percent of Jefferson County residents received the shot.
“We’re also starting to see RSV activity increasing in our region,” Berry said. “We’re seeing some more folks going to the (emergency room) and even getting hospitalized for RSV.”
The RSV vaccine is effective, Berry said. Infants who are going into their first RSV season and elderly residents who did not receive the vaccine last season are recommended to pursue the vaccine, she said.
The region also is seeing an uptick in COVID-19, although not to the same levels as the flu, Berry said.
Meanwhile, six people have tested positive for measles in Snohomish County, Berry said. The virus was brought to the region when residents traveled to South Carolina, contracted the virus and traveled home, she added.
“Thankfully, we do not yet have any documented cases in Clallam or Jefferson County,” she said.
Residents in the counties have made contacts with people known to be positive, Berry said. With all contacts occurring to vaccinated individuals, they did not need to go into quarantine, she added.
One dose of measles vaccine is 93 percent effective against the virus, while a second dose, which lasts a lifetime, brings the protection level to 97 percent effective, Berry said.
Berry received multiple questions via KPTZ listeners related to how people’s data may or may not be protected from U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP).
While people’s data is protected at local levels by HIPAA laws, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has started data sharing with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, under which ICE and CBP are housed, Berry said.
HIPAA laws prohibit healthcare providers from sharing information like a patient’s name, address, medical conditions and other information such as appointment times, Berry said.
HHS, ICE and CBP are able to access data from individuals on Medicare or Medicaid, she said.
Berry noted that this is not specific to immigrants.
“When you see militarized police who are now getting access to your home address, that’s worrisome,” Berry said.
The public health departments are committed to protecting people’s data and are not gathering information relating to immigration status, Berry said.
“Anyone who is nervous about seeking our services, give us a call,” Berry said. “We can often figure out kind of more creative ways to see you, to help make sure that you and your family get taken care of.”
Clallam County’s weekly respiratory illness report can be found at clallamcountywa.gov/1865/Data-and-Assessment.
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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@peninsuladailynews.com.
